System and method for personalized sound isolation in vehicle audio zones

ABSTRACT

Embodiments include a vehicle comprising an audio system configured to create a plurality of audio zones within a vehicle cabin, and at least one display communicatively coupled to the audio system. The display is configured to display a separate user interface for each audio zone. Each user interface comprises an engine sound control and a cabin noise control for adjusting an audio output provided to the corresponding audio zone. Embodiments also include a method of providing user-controlled sound isolation in a plurality of audio zones within a vehicle. The method comprises presenting, for each audio zone, a user interface including an engine sound control and a cabin noise control, and generating an audio output for each audio zone based on a first value received from the engine sound control and a second value received from the cabin noise control of the corresponding user interface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/005,351, filed on Jan. 25, 2016. The priorapplication is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application generally relates to vehicle audio systems, and morespecifically, to providing personalized sound isolation within avehicle.

BACKGROUND

Driving in automotive vehicles is become an increasingly quieterexperience. For example, most vehicles utilize sound damping materialsand passenger compartment designs to help isolate vehicle occupants fromunwanted engine and road noise. Some automotive vehicles also includeactive noise cancellation or reduction systems to help provide a quieterand more peaceful driving experience. In addition to engine sounds androad rumble, other unwanted noises in the vehicle cabin can include windnoise, sounds from other vehicle occupants, and noise generated by thevehicle's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit.Conversely, a number of performance vehicles augment or increase theengine sounds entering the vehicle cabin, for example, by sending theengine noise through the speakers of the vehicle with a preset gain.Regardless of the type of treatment, such noise cancellation oraugmentation effects are typically applied uniformly throughout thevehicle cabin.

A few existing vehicle audio systems generate sound zones around one ormore vehicle occupants, where each sound zone can be designed to includeonly desired audio signals and to exclude any unwanted audio or noisepicked up within the vicinity of the occupant. For example, a firstsound zone may include a volume around the ears of the vehicle driver,and a second sound zone may include a volume around the ears of one ormore vehicle passengers. A user interface or control panel enables theuser to define the boundaries of each sound zone, for example, throughuser-selection of pre-defined geometric shapes that represent theavailable sound zones, and to turn the sound zones on or off. Thecontrol panel also enables the user to select the audio sources to beplayed within each sound zone and to control a sound volume level foreach sound zone. However, existing audio systems are not capable ofproviding individualized user control over the noise cancellation andaugmentation features provided within each sound zone of the vehicle.

Accordingly, there is still a need in the art for vehicle systems andmethods that can provide improved sound isolation within each sound zoneof a vehicle cabin.

SUMMARY

The invention is intended to solve the above-noted and other problemsthrough systems and methods for providing user-controlled soundisolation within each sound zone of a vehicle cabin, wherein each soundzone is associated with a user interface for selecting noise controlvalues, such as, for example, a road noise value, an engine sound value,and an in-cabin noise value.

For example, one embodiment provides a vehicle comprising an audiosystem configured to create a plurality of audio zones within a vehiclecabin, and at least one display communicatively coupled to the audiosystem. The display is configured to display a separate user interfacefor each audio zone. Each user interface comprises an engine soundcontrol and a cabin noise control for adjusting an audio output providedto the corresponding audio zone.

Another example embodiment provides a user interface for a multi-seatvehicle having a plurality of audio zones. The user interface comprises,for each audio zone, a first input device configured to receiveuser-entry of a cabin noise gain, and a second input device configuredto receive user-entry of an engine sound gain. The cabin noise gain andengine sound gain are provided to an audio system to adjust an audiooutput provided to the audio zone.

An additional example embodiment includes a method of providinguser-controlled sound isolation in a plurality of audio zones within avehicle. The method comprises presenting, for each audio zone, a userinterface including an engine sound control and a cabin noise control,and generating an audio output for each audio zone based on a firstvalue received from the engine sound control and a second value receivedfrom the cabin noise control of the corresponding user interface.

As will be appreciated, this disclosure is defined by the appendedclaims. The description summarizes aspects of the embodiments and shouldnot be used to limit the claims. Other implementations are contemplatedin accordance with the techniques described herein, as will be apparentto one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of thefollowing drawings and detail description, and such implementations areintended to within the scope of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made toembodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in thedrawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may beomitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, soas to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features describedherein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, asknown in the art. Further, in the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary vehicle, in accordance withcertain embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an exemplary audio system included inthe vehicle of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary user interface for an audiozone shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary audio zone within the vehicleof FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an exemplary vehicle computing systemcomprising the audio system of FIG. 2, in accordance with certainembodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method of providinguser-controlled sound isolation in each of a plurality of audio zoneswithin a vehicle, in accordance with certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

While the invention may be embodied in various forms, there are shown inthe drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary andnon-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention andis not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodimentsillustrated.

In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to includethe conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is notintended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to “the”object or “a” and “an” object is intended to denote also one of apossible plurality of such objects.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle 10 with a plurality of audiozones 12 for providing a personalized audio output to vehicleoccupant(s) (not shown) seated in each audio zone 12, in accordance withembodiments. Each of the audio zones 12 can be associated with at leastone of a plurality of vehicle seats 14 included in a cabin area 16 ofthe vehicle 10 and can represent a volume, or three-dimensional space,surrounding the seat(s) 14 associated therewith or, more specifically,the ears of the occupant(s) seated therein. In embodiments, each audiozone 12 can be configured such that the occupant(s) or listener(s)within that zone 12 experiences a user-specified sound isolation effectin addition to any audio signal selected for playback through one ormore audio speakers 18 directed towards the audio zone 12. The soundisolation effect includes noise cancellation, reduction, and/oraugmentation and, along with the selected audio signal, can form thepersonalized audio output provided to each audio zone 12 (such as, e.g.,audio output signals 104 shown in FIG. 2).

For example, in FIG. 1, a first audio zone 12 a (also referred to hereinas “Zone A”) includes a first volume surrounding a driver seat 14 a andis configured to present a personalized audio output to a driver seatedtherein. Likewise, a second audio zone 12 b (also referred to herein as“Zone B”) includes a second volume surrounding a front passenger seat 14b and can be configured to present a second audio output to a frontpassenger seated therein. As a further example, a third audio zone 12 c(also referred to herein as “Zone C”) includes a third volumesurrounding a left rear passenger seat 16 c and can be configured topresent a third audio output to a left rear passenger seated therein. Asalso shown, a fourth audio zone 12 d (also referred to herein as “ZoneD”) includes a fourth volume surrounding a right rear passenger seat 16d and can be configured to present a fourth audio output to a right rearpassenger seated therein. In some embodiments, each vehicle seat 14includes a presence detector (not shown) to determine whether anoccupant is sitting in the seat 14 before activating the sound isolationfeatures described herein. The vehicle seats 14 can be separate orcaptain style seats or bench-style seats.

As will be appreciated, the number of audio zones 12 can vary dependingon the style or type of vehicle 10 (e.g., sedan, full-sized van,minivan, SUV, truck, coupe, etc.) and can have a number ofconfigurations other than that shown in FIG. 1, including combining oneor more of the audio zones 12 to form a larger audio zone. For example,all of the rear audio zones (e.g., zones 12 c and 12 d) may be combinedto form a single rear audio zone, and all of the front audio zones(e.g., zones 12 a and 12 b) may be combined to form a single front audiozone. As another example, all of the passenger audio zones (e.g., zones12 b, 12 c, and 12 d) may be combined to form a single passenger audiozone, and the driver audio zone (e.g., zone 12 a) may remain independentof the passenger audio zone. In yet another example, if one of thevehicle seats 14 is a bench seat, the corresponding audio zone 12 may beshaped to cover the entire bench seat or specific sections of the benchseat.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes a plurality of the audiospeakers 18, a plurality of receiver microphones 20, and a plurality oferror microphones 22 configured to present the personalized audio outputgenerated for each audio zone 12 to the corresponding zone 12. Referringadditionally to FIG. 2, the audio speakers 18, receiver microphones 20,and error microphones 22 form part of a vehicle audio system 100included in the vehicle 10 for creating the plurality of audio zones 12and providing a personalized audio output to each zone 12, in accordancewith embodiments. More specifically, the audio system 100 includes anaudio control module 102 for generating a user-configured audio outputsignal 104 for each of the audio zones 12 and for providing each audiooutput signal 104 to the one or more speakers 18 directed towards thecorresponding audio zone 12.

In embodiments, each of the audio zones 12 can be associated with apredetermined set of the speakers 18, the speaker set comprising atleast two audio speakers 18 for providing improved directed audio withinthe audio zone 12. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a firstset of speakers (S_(A)) 18 a is configured to provide a first audiooutput signal 104 a to Zone A; a second set of speakers (S_(B)) 18 b isconfigured to provide a second audio output signal 104 b to Zone B; athird set of speakers (S_(C)) 18 c is configured to provide a thirdaudio output signal 104 c to Zone C; and a fourth set of speakers(S_(D)) 18 d is configured to provide a fourth audio output signal 104 dto Zone D. In embodiments, each input audio signal 104 can be separatedinto a number of channel components (e.g., front and rear componentsand/or left and right components) depending on the number and/orplacement of the speakers 18 within the set.

The audio system 100 further includes an active noise cancellation (ANC)system 106 for providing the sound isolation effect for each audio zone12 by, among other things, generating an anti-noise signal 108 for eachaudio zone 12 based on unwanted sounds or noise picked up by themicrophones 20 and 22 in the corresponding audio zone 12. As shown inFIG. 2, the ANC system 106 provides the anti-noise signals 108 a, 108 b,108 c, and 108 d to the audio control module 102. The audio controlmodule 102 combines the anti-noise signals 108 with respectiveuser-selected audio signals 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, 110 d to produce acorresponding audio output signal 104 for each of the audio zones 12 a,12 b, 12 c, and 12 d.

In embodiments, the audio control module 102 generates the audio outputsignal 104 for each audio zone 12 based on the corresponding anti-noisesignal 108 and a corresponding input audio signal 110 and selected forthat audio zone 12 received from one or more audio sources 112. Theaudio source(s) 112 can include, for example, a CD/DVD player, anAM/FM/XM radio, an MP3 player, a navigation device, a video camera, apersonal media player, a mobile communications device (e.g., cellulartelephone), a video game player, or any other audio source included in,or communicatively coupled to, the vehicle audio system 100. The inputaudio signal 110 may be selected by the occupant seated within thecorresponding audio zone 12 or by the vehicle driver, depending on whereaudio input controls are located in the vehicle 10. In some cases, thesame input audio signal 110 can be provided to all audio zones 12, buteach audio zone 12 can have a different user-selected sound isolationeffect. In other cases, both the input audio signal 110 and the soundisolation effect can be different for each audio zone 12. In still othercases, a select number of the audio zones 12 can receive the samepersonalized audio output signal 104, while the remaining audio zones 12can receive different audio output signals 104.

In embodiments, the ANC system 106 can reduce or eliminate unwantedsounds or noise audible within each audio zone 12, and/or in the vehiclecabin 16 as a whole, by generating sound waves that destructivelyinterfere with the unwanted sounds. The destructively interfering soundwaves are represented by the anti-noise signal 108 that is included aspart of the audio output 102 presented by the speakers 18 to each audiozone 12. The ANC system 106 generates the anti-noise signal 108 for eachaudio zone 12 based on a cabin noise signal 114 received from thereceiver microphones 20 directed towards, or positioned within, the zone12.

In embodiments, each cabin noise signal 114 can be indicative of anyunwanted sound or noise (also referred to herein as “cabin noise”) thatemanates from one or more noise sources 24 and is audible within thecorresponding audio zone 12. The noises sources 24 can be located insidethe vehicle cabin 16 and/or outside of the vehicle 10. For example,cabin noise generated by external noise sources 24 can include windnoise, road noise, and other externally-generated sounds. Cabin noisegenerated by in-cabin noise sources 24 can include HVAC noise, noisegenerated by other vehicle occupants (e.g., in-person conversationsinvolving other occupants), audio outputs presented to other audio zones12 within the vehicle 10 (e.g., a hands-free cellular telephone call orvideo game sounds output through one or more speakers 18), and otherinternally-generated sounds.

The receiver microphones 20 within each audio zone 12 can be configuredto detect or pick up the unwanted cabin noise and output thecorresponding cabin noise signal 114 to a noise control module 118included in the ANC system 106. The noise control module 118 can includea noise cancellation algorithm 120 and an algorithm-driven filter 122for generating sound waves that are approximately 180 degrees out ofphase with each cabin noise signal 114 received from the receivermicrophones 20 directed towards the corresponding audio zone 12. Thesesound waves can form the anti-noise signal 108 provided to the audiocontrol module 102 by the noise cancellation module 118 for each audiozone 12, as shown in FIG. 2. This 180 degree phase shift can cause adesirable destructive interference when the unwanted sound wavesdetected in each audio zone 12 combine with the anti-noise sound wavesof the corresponding anti-noise signal 108, thereby cancelling theunwanted noise that is perceived by the occupant(s) of each zone 12. Insome embodiments, the noise control module 118 comprises an anti-noisegenerator (not shown) or other audio component for generating theanti-noise signals 108.

In embodiments, each audio zone 12 can also be associated with apredetermined set of the receiver microphones 20, the microphone setcomprising at least two receiver microphones 20 for providing improvednoise detection within the audio zone 12. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, a first set of receiver microphones (M_(A)) 20 aare configured to detect unwanted noise audible within Zone A and togenerate a first cabin noise signal 114 a; a second set of microphones(M_(B)) 20 b are configured to detect unwanted noise audible within ZoneB and to generate a second cabin noise signal 114 b; a third set ofmicrophones (M_(C)) 20 c is configured to detect unwanted noise audiblewithin Zone C and to generate a third cabin noise signal 114 c; and afourth set of microphones (M_(D)) 20 d is configured to detect unwantednoise audible within Zone D and to generate a fourth cabin noise signal114 d.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ANC system 106 can dynamicallyadjust or refine the anti-noise signal 108 generated for each audio zone12 based on a noise cancellation error signal 116 detected by the errormicrophones 22 directed towards, or positioned within, that audio zone12. The noise cancellation error signal 116 can reflect any differencesbetween the anti-noise signal 108 and the unwanted cabin noise audiblewithin each audio zone 12, or the cabin noise signal 114 picked up bythe receiver microphones 20 therein. The noise cancellation errorsignals 116 can be input to the noise control module 118 to moreaccurately produce anti-noise sound waves that destructively interferewith the unwanted sound waves audible in the corresponding audio zone12. Prior to adjusting the anti-noise signal 108, the error signal 116for each audio zone 12 can be processed to accommodate for, or remove,sound waves based on the input audio signal 110 presented to that audiozone 12 using the corresponding speakers 18.

According to embodiments, each audio zone 12 can be associated with apredetermined set of the error microphones 22, the set comprising atleast two error microphones 22 for providing improved error signaldetection within the audio zone 12 for adjusting the noise cancellationeffect of the corresponding anti-noise signal 108. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, a first set of error microphones (E_(A)) 22 aare configured to detect a first error signal 116 a within Zone A; asecond set of error microphones (E_(B)) 22 b are configured to detect asecond error signal 116 b within Zone B; a third set of errormicrophones (E_(C)) 22 c is configured to detect a third error signal116 c within Zone C; and a fourth set of error microphones (E_(D)) 22 dis configured to detect a fourth error signal 116 d within Zone D.

In some embodiments, the cabin noise detected by the receivermicrophones 20 includes engine noise audible within the vehicle cabin 16and detected by the receiver microphones 20. In other embodiments, forexample, as shown in FIG. 1, the engine noise or sound can be providedby an engine microphone (M_(E)) 26 positioned in an engine 28 (or engineblock) of the vehicle 10 and output as an engine sound signal 124 by themicrophone 26 for augmenting or adjusting the engine noise audiblewithin each audio zone 12. The engine microphone 26 may be any type ofdevice suitable for detecting sound within the engine 28. In some cases,the engine microphone 26 is a microphone configured to pick up orcapture audible sounds produced by the engine 28. In other cases, themicrophone 26 may be a sensor, such as an accelerometer, that isconfigured to generate the engine sound signal 124 based on a currentoperating condition of the engine 28 detected by the sensor, where theoperating condition can be indicative of the level of engine noise.

In some embodiments, the engine sound signal 124 can be provided to thenoise control module 118 to cancel or reduce the engine noise audiblewithin the audio zone 12. In other embodiments, for example, as shown inFIG. 2, the engine microphone 26 can be configured to provide the enginesound signal 124 to an engine sound module 126 included in the audiocontrol module 102. In embodiments, the engine sound module 126 can beconfigured to augment or increase the engine noise, as needed based onuser-selected engine noise settings for each audio zone 12, and producean augmented or adjusted engine noise signal 128 for each audio zone 12.The audio control module 102 may include an audio mixer 129 forcombining the adjusted engine noise signals 128 a, 128 b, 128 c, and 128d with corresponding input audio signals 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, and 110 dand corresponding anti-noise signals 108 a, 108 b, 108 c, and 108 d inorder to produce the audio output signal 104 a, 104 b, 104 c, and 104 dfor each of the audio zones 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d, respectively.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 also includes a vehicle display30 that can be configured to display one or more audio user interfaces(UI) 32 for controlling various components of the vehicle audio system100. The vehicle display 30 can be a display screen included in a humanmachine interface (such as, e.g., human machine interface (HMI) 210shown in FIG. 5) of the vehicle 10 or other vehicle unit capable ofdisplaying information. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicledisplay 30 may be included in a dashboard 34 or instrument, panel (suchas, e.g., instrument panel 216 shown in FIG. 5) of the vehicle 10. Inother cases, the vehicle display 30 may be a separate media displayscreen (such as, e.g., display 214 shown in FIG. 5) for displayingvehicle infotainment information, such as, for example, navigationsystem information, audio system information, etc. In some embodiments,the vehicle display 30 can be an independent display screen, or headunit display, included in the vehicle 10 and dedicated to displaying theaudio user interfaces 32 for individual user control.

In some embodiments, the vehicle display 30 can be on a display screenthat is associated with the vehicle 10 and included in an externalcomputing device (not shown) that is communicatively coupled, via awireless network connection, to a cloud server or service centerassociated with the vehicle, or a manufacturer of the vehicle. Theremote computing device can be configured for displaying the userinterfaces 32 for enabling user control of the vehicle audio system 100by a vehicle occupant, operator, or other authorized individual. In somecases, the remote computing device may also be configured for displayingother vehicle infotainment information (such as, e.g., a FORD SYNCapplication). For example, the vehicle display 30 may be a displayscreen of a mobile device that includes a mobile application paired tothe vehicle 10, or more specifically, to a vehicle computing systemtherein (such as, e.g., vehicle computing system (VCS) 200 shown in FIG.5), for displaying vehicle infotainment information and/or the userinterfaces 32. In another embodiment, the vehicle display 30 can be adisplay screen of a computer, laptop, tablet, or other personalcomputing device that can access a website or cloud-based applicationfor displaying vehicle infotainment information and/or the userinterfaces 32.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the audio zones 12 can be associatedwith a separate user interface 32 for controlling the audio settings forthat zone 12. For example, a user interface 32 a can be configured toenable user control of the audio settings for Zone A, a user interface32 b can be configured to enable user control of the audio settings forZone B, a user interface 32 c can be configured to enable user controlof the audio settings for Zone C, and a user interface 32 d can beconfigured to enable user control of the audio settings for Zone D.

In embodiments, the user interfaces 32 can include controls forselection of an audio zone 12 to configure, selection of the audiosource(s) 112 that will be audible in the selected audio zone 12, andselection of a volume level for audio being played within the selectedaudio zone 12, among other audio settings (e.g., equalizer settings,fade and other speaker settings, etc.) The user interfaces 32 can alsoinclude controls for enabling selection of the boundary lines for theaudio zones 12, an option to select which speakers 18 are included ineach zone 12, for example, by providing an option to combine two or moreaudio zones 12 to form a larger zone, an option to select which vehicleseats 14 are included in each zone 12, or other options to define theboundaries of each audio zone 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the user interfaces 32 further includecontrols, or input devices, for enabling user-selection of the soundisolation effect provided to each audio zone 12. In such cases, eachuser interface 32 can include inputs or options for selecting a level orvalue for various noise control settings, such as, for example, a cabinnoise cancellation or reduction setting, an engine noise augmentation oradjustment setting, an in-cabin noise reduction setting, a road noisereduction setting, and/or an HVAC noise reduction setting. Theuser-selected value for each noise control setting can determine whichunwanted cabin noise(s) remain audible within a given zone 12, if any,and the degree to which the cabin noise(s) are audible.

For example, the user-selected value for the cabin noise setting mayrepresent a gain that is applied to the anti-noise signal 108 to controlhow much cabin noise, if any, can be heard within the zone 12. Likewise,the user-selected value for the engine sound setting may represent again that is applied to the engine sound signal 124 to control how muchaugmentation, if any, is applied to the engine sound within the zone 12.In some cases, the noise control module 118 can differentiate betweendifferent components of the cabin noise input signals 114 based on knownsound sources, such as, for example, the input audio signals 110 thatare being supplied by the audio sources 112 to each audio zone 12. Insuch cases, the user-selected value for a given setting may represent again that is applied to a known component of the cabin noise inputsignal 114 (such as, e.g., input audio signals 110), or conversely, aremaining or unknown component of the cabin noise input signal 114(e.g., road noise, HVAC noise, and/or other occupant(s) noise), as partof the anti-noise generation process performed by the noise controlmodule 118.

To illustrate, FIG. 3 shows an exemplary user interface 32 a configuredto enable control of the sound isolation effect provided to exampleaudio zone 12 a (or Zone A), in accordance with embodiments. As shown,the user interface 32 a includes an engine sound control 36 forselecting an engine sound value 37 and a cabin noise control 38 forselecting a cabin noise value 39. In other embodiments, the userinterface 32 a may include additional controls (not shown) forselecting, for example, an in-cabin noise value, a road noise value,and/or other noise control values, as described herein.

The selected engine sound value 37 can represent a gain to be applied tothe engine sound signal 124 included in the audio output signal 104 a,or other value for controlling engine noise augmentation within theaudio zone 12 a. As an example, a zero gain value may be selected if thevehicle occupant (e.g., driver) of the audio zone 12 a does not want tohear any engine noise or wants to turn off the engine noise augmentationeffect (e.g., a zero or minimum engine noise output). A maximum gainvalue may be selected if the vehicle occupant wants to augment theengine noise to a highest amplitude or experience a full engine noiseaugmentation effect (e.g., a maximum engine noise output). Intermediategain values, such as the engine sound value 37 shown in FIG. 3, may beselected if the vehicle occupant wants to select a specific level ofengine noise augmentation (e.g., high, low, medium).

Likewise, the cabin noise value 39 can represent a gain to be applied tothe anti-noise signal 108 a included in the audio output signal 104 a,or other value for controlling noise cancellation or reduction withinthe audio zone 12 a. As an example, a zero gain value may be selected ifthe vehicle occupant does not want to hear any cabin noise or wants toexperience a full noise cancellation effect (e.g., a zero or minimumcabin noise output). A maximum gain value may be selected if the vehicleoccupant wants to hear all of the audible cabin noise or turn off thenoise cancellation effect (e.g., a maximum cabin noise output).Intermediate gain values, such as the cabin noise value 39 shown in FIG.3, may be selected if the occupant wants to reduce the amount of cabinnoise or experience a noise reduction effect, rather than noisecancellation, the selected value indicating the desired amount of noisereduction (e.g., high, low, medium).

In the illustrated embodiment, the controls 36 and 38 are depicted asslider controls for selecting a value within a range of 0 to 10, whereina position of the slider controls indicates the selected values 37 and38. In other embodiments, the controls 36 and 38 can include other typesof input devices, such as, for example, buttons or soft keys associatedwith pre-configured values, arrows or knobs for increasing or decreasinga currently-selected value, or a data entry field for entering a desiredvalue. As will be appreciated, though FIG. 3 only shows the userinterface 32 a for Zone A, the user interfaces 32 b, 32 c, and 32 d forthe other zones 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d, respectively, may be similarlyarranged and include similar controls or input devices.

Referring additionally to FIG. 2, the selected cabin noise value 39 canbe provided to the noise control module 118, or more specifically, thenoise cancellation algorithm 120. The noise control module 118 generatesthe anti-noise signal 108 a based on the cabin noise signal 114 areceived from the microphones 20 a within the audio zone 12 a andfurther based on the cabin noise value 39 received from the userinterface 32 a. The noise control module 118 uses the cabin noise value39 to adjust a gain of the anti-noise signal 108 a, or a level of noisecancellation/reduction provided by the anti-noise signal 108 a. Thenoise control module 118 then provides the anti-noise signal 108 a tothe audio control module 102 for inclusion in the audio output signal104 a.

Likewise, the engine noise value 37 can be provided to the audio controlmodule 102, or more specifically, the engine sound module 126. Theengine sound module 126 crates the adjusted engine sound signal 128 a byusing the engine sound value 37 received from the user interface 32 toadjust a gain of the engine sound signal 124, or a level of engine noiseaugmentation provided to the audio zone 12 a. The audio control module102, or the audio mixer 129, then combines the adjusted engine soundsignal 128 with the audio output signal 104 a for presentation to theaudio zone 12 a.

In some embodiments, each of the separate user interfaces 32 a, 32 b, 32c, and 32 d can be individually displayed on the vehicle display 30 inresponse to user-selection of the corresponding audio zone 12. In somecases, the user may toggle between the separate user interfaces 32 usingappropriate controls for selecting an audio zone. In other cases, theuser interfaces 32 may be displayed as a group on the vehicle display30, for example, by arranging the user interfaces 32 side-by-side or ina tiled manner. Occupant control of the user interfaces 32 may depend ona position of the vehicle display 30 within the vehicle cabin 16. Forexample, if the vehicle display 30 is positioned in a front of thevehicle 10, then the user interfaces 32 may be controlled by the vehicledriver or front passenger, and if the vehicle display 30 is positionedin a rear of the vehicle 10, then the user interfaces 32 may becontrolled by one or more rear passengers.

In other embodiments, in addition to the vehicle display 30, the vehicle10 can include one or more independent display units or head unitdisplays (such as, e.g., control units 218 shown in FIG. 5) that arephysically located at predetermined position(s) within the vehicle cabin16 for providing additional access to the user interfaces 32. In somecases, an additional display unit can be positioned adjacent to each rowof seats to enable the occupants of each row to have access to the userinterface 32 associated with that row. For example, though not shown inFIG. 1, the additional control unit may be positioned in the rear of thevehicle cabin 16, for example, between the vehicle seats 14 c and 14 d,and may be configured to present the user interfaces 32 c and 32 d foraccess by the occupants of the rear seats 14 c and 14 d. In other cases,an additional display unit may be positioned within each of the audiozones 12, or adjacent to the corresponding vehicle seats 14, and may beconfigured to present the user interface 32 associated with that zone12, as shown in FIG. 1. In such cases, the occupant(s) of each audiozone 12 can have direct control over the audio settings for that zone12.

Referring now to FIG. 4, shown is an exemplary representation of theaudio zone 12 a created during operation of the audio system 100 of FIG.2, in accordance with embodiments. The audio zone 12 a can be configuredto provide a personalized audio output signal 104 a to an occupant Aseated in the driver seat 14 a of the vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1. Inembodiments, an overall sound 130, as perceived by the occupant A, canbe produced as a result of a summation operation performed when soundwaves emanating from a number of sources combine, either constructivelyor destructively, within a volume representative of the audio zone 12 a.In the illustrated embodiment, the overall sound 130 is produced bycombination of the following sounds: the input audio signal 110 a andthe adjusted engine noise signal 128 a presented by the speakers 18 a tothe occupant A, unwanted cabin noise 132 generated by noise sources 24,and the anti-noise signal 108 a generated in response to detection ofthe noise 132 by the microphones 20 a (not shown) directed towards ZoneA. The adjusted engine noise signal 128 a can represent the engine noisesignal 124 adjusted according to a level of augmentation, or gain,determined based on the engine sound value 37 entered into the userinterface 32 a shown in FIG. 3. For example, if the engine sound value37 is set to an intermediate value, as shown in FIG. 3, the overallsound 130 will include an audible engine noise component along with theinput audio signals 110 a.

In embodiments, the anti-noise signal 108 a destructively interfereswith the unwanted cabin noise 132 according to a level of destruction,or gain, determined by the cabin noise value 39 entered into the userinterface 32 a. For example, if the cabin noise value 39 is set to zero,the overall sound 130 experienced by the occupant A may primarilyrepresent the input audio signal 110 a and the augmented engine soundsignal 128. If, on the other hand, the cabin noise value 39 is set to anintermediate value, as shown in FIG. 3, the overall sound 130experienced by the occupant A may include a reduced cabin noisecomponent along with the signals 110 a and 128. As will be appreciated,while FIG. 3 only shows the audio zone 12 a, the other audio zones 12 b,12 c, and 12 d, or any combination thereof, may be created in a similarmanner using corresponding components of the audio system 100.

Referring back to FIG. 2, various components of the audio system 100 canbe included in the vehicle cabin 16, the vehicle seats 14, the vehiclecomputing system of the vehicle 10, or on an external device incommunication with a telematics unit of the vehicle 10 (such as, e.g.,telematics control unit 212 shown in FIG. 5). In embodiments, the audiosystem 100 can be communicatively coupled to a vehicle computing system(such as, e.g., vehicle computing system (VCS) 200 shown in FIG. 5) ofthe vehicle 10 in order to carry out the features of the invention. Asshower FIG. 2, the audio control module 102 of the audio system 100 canbe communicatively coupled to the user interfaces 32 (or the device(s)displaying the interfaces 32), the audio sources 112, the enginemicrophone 26, the audio speakers 18, and the ANC system 106. As alsoshown, the noise control module 118 can be communicatively coupled tothe microphones 20 and 22 included in each of the audio zones 12. Inembodiments, the components of the audio system 100 can communicate witheach other and/or components of the vehicle computing system using wiredor wireless connections. If communicating wirelessly, the audio system100 may further include one or more transmitters (not shown) forwirelessly transmitting output signals to other components.

In embodiments, the plurality of speakers 18 can include any type ofaudio speaker suitable for audio playback within the vehicle cabin 16and can include, for example, woofers, sub-woofers, tweeters,super-tweeters, and mid-range speakers. In one embodiment, the speakers18 can include ultrasonic speakers configured to focus directional soundbeams towards each audio zone 12. Though not shown, the speakers 18 a,18 b, 18 c, and 18 d can be located in a vehicle roof area above eachaudio zone 12 or seat 14, in a vehicle door and/or pillar that isclosest to each audio zone 12 or seat 14, in a headrest of each vehicleseat 12, or in other suitable locations of the vehicle cabin 16. Theexact location and number of speakers 18 within the vehicle cabin 16 canvary depending on the type of vehicle 10 (e.g., sedan, van, SUV, etc.),the configuration of the audio zones 12, and the type of audio speaker18. For example, a fewer number of speakers 18 may be needed if thereare fewer audio zones 12, such as, a single front audio zone coveringthe front seats 14 a and 14 b and a single rear audio zone covering therear seats 14 c and 14 d.

In some embodiments, in addition to the speakers S_(A), S_(B), S_(C),and S_(D), the audio speakers 18 can include a plurality of conventionalvehicle speakers 18 e positioned around a perimeter of the vehicle cabin16, for example, at front-left (FL) and front-right (FR) corners of thevehicle dashboard 34 and at rear-left (RL) and rear-right (RR) cornersof a rear shelf 40 of the vehicle 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Theconventional vehicle speakers 18 e can be selectively configured toprovide one or more components of the audio output 104 based on theconfiguration of the audio zones 12. For example, in the illustratedembodiment, the FL speaker 18 e may contribute to creating the audiozone 12 a, the FR speaker 18 e may contribute to creating the audio zone12 b, the RL speaker 18 e may contribute to creating the audio zone 12c, and the RR speaker 18 e may contribute to creating the audio zone 12d. In other cases, the speakers S_(A), S_(B), S_(C), and S_(D) mayinclude one or more of, or may be positioned in the illustratedlocations of, the FL, FR, RL, RR speakers 18 e. In still other cases,the vehicle 10 may include only the FL, FR, RL, RR speakers 18 e forpresenting the audio output 104. The exact configuration and number ofspeakers 18 can depend on the type of vehicle 10.

According to embodiments, the microphones 20 and 22 can include any typeof microphone or other sensor suitable for detecting audio signalswithin the vehicle cabin 16. Though not shown, the receiver microphones20 and the error microphones 22 can be positioned on, or adjacent to,the vehicle seat 14 within the audio zone 12 and directed towards theears of the vehicle occupant seated in the vehicle seat 14. As anexample, the microphones 20 and/or 22 may be positioned within theheadrest of each seat 14, in the vehicle roof area above each zone 12 orseat 14, and/or in the vehicle door or pillar that is closest to eachzone 12 or seat 14.

In some embodiments, the exact number of microphones 20 and 22 includedin each audio zone 12 may be different depending on the configuration ofthe zone 12 and/or the vehicle seat 14 included therein, and the soundisolation characteristics desired for each. For example, a greaternumber of microphones 20, 22 may be directed towards the driver seat 14a than towards the other passenger seats 14 b, 14 c, or 14 d in order toprovide a more precise sound isolation effect for the driver. As anotherexample, a greater number of microphones 20, 22 may be directed towardsthe rear passenger seats 14 c and 14 d than the front seats 14 a and 14b in order to provide a quieter ride, or increased sound isolationeffect, for the rear passengers as compared to the front passengers.

According to embodiments, each of the audio control module 102, theengine sound module 126, and the noise control module 118 can beimplemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In someembodiments, the modules 102, 126, and/or 118 comprise program modulesor software instructions stored in a data storage device (such as, e.g.,data storage device 202 shown in FIG. 5) and executed by a dataprocessor (such as, e.g., data processor 204 shown in FIG. 5) of thevehicle computing system, as described in more detail below. In otherembodiments, the audio system 100 can include an electronic control unit(ECU) or other electronic data processor configured to execute themodules 102, 126, and/or 118, for example, using software instructionsstored in a memory of the audio system 100.

Referring now to FIG. 5, shown is example vehicle computing system (VCS)200 that may be included in the vehicle 10, for example, as part of avehicle electronics system or an infotainment system of the vehicle 10,in accordance with embodiments. The VCS 200 may be an infotainmentsystem such as the SYNC® system manufactured by FORD MOTOR COMPANY®.Other embodiments of the VCS 200 can include different, fewer, oradditional components than those described below and shown in FIG. 5.

As illustrated, the VCS 200 can include data storage device 202, dataprocessor 204 (e.g., an electronic data processor), and a vehicle databus 206. The VCS 200 can further include various electronic controlunits (ECUs) responsible for monitoring and controlling the electricalsystems or subsystems of the vehicle 10. Each ECU may include, forexample, one or more inputs and outputs for gathering, receiving, and/ortransmitting data, a memory for storing the data, and a processor forprocessing the data and/or generating new information based thereon. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the ECUs of the VCS 200 include the audiosystem 100, an engine control unit 208, human-machine interface (HMI)210, and telematics control unit (TCU) 212. Though not shown, the VCS200 may include other ECUs, such as, for example, a body control module(BCM) for controlling and monitoring various electronic accessories in abody of the vehicle 10 and a transmission control module for controllingand monitoring the transmission of the vehicle 10.

The ECUs of the VCS 200 are interconnected by the vehicle data bus 206(such as, e.g., a controller area network (CAN) bus or an automotiveEthernet bus), which passes data to and from the various ECUs, as wellas other vehicle and/or auxiliary components in communication with theVCS 200. Further, the data processor 204 can communicate with any one ofthe ECUs and the data storage device 202 via the data bus 206 in orderto carry out one or more functions, including the functions associatedwith the audio system 100.

The engine control unit 208 is an ECU for controlling and monitoring theengine 28 of the vehicle 10. In some embodiments, the engine controlunit 208 is combined with the transmission control unit and included ina single ECU, such as, a powertrain control module (PCM). As shown, theengine control unit 208 can include, or be communicatively coupled to,the engine microphone 26 for detecting or capturing a sound of theengine 28 and can provide the engine sound signal 124 to the audiosystem 100 via the vehicle data bus 206.

As shown in FIG. 5, the audio system 100 can include, or becommunicatively coupled to, the plurality of speakers 18 and the ANCsystem 106 shown in FIG. 2. Though not shown, the audio system 100 caninclude an AM/FM radio receiver or tuner, an amplifier for driving anaudio signal to the speakers 18 or other audio output devices, and oneor more media devices (e.g., tape player, CD player, DVD player,satellite radio, auxiliary devices, etc.). In some embodiments, theaudio system 100 forms part of a pre-installed infotainment system orother original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system of the vehicle 10. Inother embodiments, the audio system 100 comprises a head unit that isinstalled in the vehicle 10 after-market, for example, by coupling thehead unit to the speakers 18 and other OEM components of the vehiclecomputing system 200.

The human-machine interface (HMI) 210 (also referred to as a “userinterface”) can be an ECU for enabling user interaction with the vehicle10 and for presenting vehicle information to the vehicle operator ordriver. According to embodiments, one or more components of the HMI 210can be configured to present the separate user interfaces 32 a, 32 b, 32c, and 32 d for controlling the audio settings for each audio zone 12,for example, as shown in FIG. 3. As shown, the HMI 210 includes at leastone media display 214, an instrument panel (IP) 216, and in some cases,one or more audio zone control units 218. Though not shown, the HMI 210,and/or any of the devices included therein, can include one or moreinput devices and/or output devices for inputting, entering, receiving,capturing, displaying, or outputting data associated with the vehiclecomputing system 200, the audio system 100, and/or the techniquesdisclosed herein.

The HMI 210 can be configured to interact with the other ECUs of the VCS200 and/or the data processor 204 via the data bus 206 in order toprovide information or inputs received via the HMI 210 to an appropriatecomponent of the VCS 200 and to present, to the vehicle operator oroccupant, information or outputs received from the various components ofthe VCS 200. For example, when the HMI 210 receives inputs intended forcontrolling one or more aspects of the audio system 100 (e.g., via theuser interfaces 32), the HMI 210 can send the inputs to the audio systemMO via the vehicle data bus 206.

As shown, the HMI 210 includes the instrument panel 216 (also referredto as a “dashboard” or “cluster”), which comprises a control panelpositioned in front of the driver's seat for housing instrumentation andcontrols for operation of the vehicle 10. The instrument panel 216 caninclude a steering wheel and various gauges (e.g., speedometer,odometer, fuel gauge, etc.), as well as various vehicle indicators, suchas, for example, a selected position of a gear selector, seat beltwarnings or notifications, low fuel, low tire pressure, etc. In somecases, the instrument panel 216 includes a display screen forelectronically or digitally displaying the various gauges, or valuesrelated thereto, the various vehicle indicators, and other vehicleinformation. In some embodiments, one or more of the audio userinterfaces 32 are displayed on the instrument panel 216.

The HMI 210 also includes at least one media display screen 214 separatefrom the instrument panel 216 for displaying additional vehicleinformation, such as, for example, navigation system information, audiosystem information, video captured by an external vehicle camera (notshown), heating and air/conditioning information, etc. In a preferredembodiment, the audio user interface 32 is presented on the mediadisplay screen 214, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. In such cases, themedia display screen 14 may be configured to display all of the audiouser interfaces 32, either individually or as a group, and user inputscan be received via touch inputs or user-selection of keys, buttons, orother input devices associated with the media display 214. For example,the HMI 210 can be configured to enable the user to toggle through thedifferent audio user interfaces 32 and/or audio zones 12 on the displayscreen 214 using the input devices of the HMI 210. In such cases, themedia display screen 214 displays each user interlace 32 one at a time.In another example, the HMI 210 can be configured to display all of theuser interfaces 32 at once but with separate input controls 36, 38 foreach user interface 32. In such cases, the group of audio userinterfaces 32 can be displayed side-by-side, or as tiles in a grid, onthe media display screen 214.

In other embodiments, instead of, or in addition to, presenting the userinterfaces 32 on the media display 214 or the instrument panel 216, theHMI 210 includes audio zone control units 118 positioned within, oradjacent to, each audio zone 12. In such cases, the vehicle occupantseated in each audio zone 12 can use the dedicated control unit 218 topersonalize the audio output presented to his/her audio zone 12. Thezone control units 218 can be any type of user interface console and caninclude a touch screen, a standard display screen, and/or physical inputdevices, such as knobs, buttons, keys, sliders, dials, switches,keyboards, keypads, pointing devices, etc. In some embodiments, a firstcontrol unit 218 may be provided in, or adjacent to, the Zone A and canbe configured to display the user interface 32 a shown in FIG. 3; asecond control unit 218 may be provided in, or adjacent to, the Zone Band configured to display the user interface 32 b; and so forth. Inother embodiments, the control units 218 can be implemented withdedicated hardware or control panels that are communicatively coupledto, or included in, the HMI 210 and include the user interface controls36 and 38 for controlling the sound isolation effect provided to eachaudio zone 12.

The TCU 212 can be an ECU for enabling the vehicle 10 to connect to oneor more wireless networks, such as, for example, WiFi, WiMax, cellular(e.g., GSM, GPRS, LTE, 3G, 4G, CDMA, etc.), Bluetooth, near-fieldcommunication (NFC), radio-frequency identification (RFID), satellite,dedicate short-range communication (DSRC), Global Positioning System(GPS), and infrared networks. In embodiments, the TCU 212 includes awireless communication module 220 comprising one or more antennas,radios, modems, receivers, and/or transmitters (not shown) forconnecting to, or interfacing with, the various wireless networks.

In some cases, the TCU 212 can receive external data via the wirelesscommunication module 220 from one or more external devices (not shown)associated with the vehicle 10, such as, for example, a key fob (notshown), a user device paired to the vehicle, and/or a remote servercommunicatively coupled to the TCU 212. In such cases, the TCU 212provides the received external data to an appropriate ECU of the VCS200. In some cases, the TCU 212 can also receive internal data from oneor more ECUs and/or the data processor 204 with instructions to transmitthe internal data to an external device associated with the vehicle 10.

For example, the TCU 212 can enable the VCS 200, or the vehicle 10, topair with a user device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, personal computer,etc.) of the vehicle operator, using Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, or otherwireless communication network and/or via a remote server associatedwith a manufacturer of the vehicle 10, the VCS 200, and/or aninfotainment system of the vehicle 10, such as the FORD SYNC® system.The user device may be configured to display the audio user interfaces32 to enable user-control of the sound isolation effect provided to eachaudio zone 12 within the vehicle 10, and other audio settings. Forexample, the user device may display the audio user interface 32 a forZone A shown in FIG. 3. The VCS 200 may send data pertaining to theaudio user interfaces 32 to the vehicle operator or other user throughthe user device and/or the mobile application, in addition, the VCS 200may receive inputs or values entered via the user interfaces 32 from theuser device. In some cases, the user device may display, and provideaccess to, the user interface 32 via a mobile application running on theuser device. In other cases, the user device may display, and provideaccess to, the user interface 32 via a website hosted by the remoteserver.

The data processor 204 can comprise one or more of a microprocessor, amicrocontroller, a programmable logic array, an application-specificintegrated circuit, a logic device, or other electronic device forprocessing, inputting, outputting, manipulating, storing, or retrievingdata. In embodiments, the VCS 200 can comprise a general purposecomputer that is programmed with various programming instructions ormodules stored in the data storage device 202 e.g., electronic memory),or elsewhere.

The data storage device 202 can comprise one or more of electronicmemory, nonvolatile random access memory (e.g., RAM), flip-flops, acomputer-writable or computer-readable storage medium, a magnetic oroptical data storage device, a magnetic or optical disc drive, a harddisk drive, or other electronic device for storing, retrieving, reading,or writing data. The data storage device 202 stores one or more softwareprogram modules or software instructions, including the audio controlmodule 102, the noise control module 118, and/or the engine sound module126 for execution by the data processor 204. As shown in FIG. 5, in somecases, the data storage device 202 also stores the audio user interfaces32, or graphics and other data used to generate the user interfaces 32,and provides the same to the display 214 and/or the control units 218for display thereon during operation of the audio system 100.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method 600 for providing a user-controlledsound isolation effect to each of a plurality of audio zones in avehicle (such as, e.g., the audio zones 12 of the vehicle 10 shown inFIG. 1), in accordance with embodiments. The method 600 can be carriedout by one or more processors (or controllers) included in, for example,a vehicle audio system (such as, e.g., the vehicle audio system 100shown in FIG. 2) and/or a vehicle computing system (such as, e.g., thevehicle computing system (VCS) 200 shown in FIG. 5). In one embodiment,the method 600 is implemented, at least in part, by the data processor204 of the VCS 200 executing software stored in the data storage device202, such as, e.g., the audio control module 102 and/or the noisecontrol module 118, and interacting with one or more components of theVCS 200 and/or the vehicle audio system 100 included therein.

The method 600 can begin at step 602, where the processor and/or theaudio system presents, for each audio zone, a separate user interface(such as, e.g., audio user interfaces 32 shown in FIG. 2) including aplurality of source-specific noise controls, such as, for example, anengine sound control (such as, e.g., control 36 shown in FIG. 3) and acabin noise control (such as, e.g., control 38 shown in FIG. 3). Forexample, each user interface may be displayed on a vehicle display (suchas, e.g., the media display screen 214 and/or the control units 218shown in FIG. 5) and may be configured to receive user inputs via theengine sound control, the cabin noise control, and any othersource-specific noise controls (e.g., a road noise control, an occupantnoise control etc.). In a preferred embodiment, the engine soundcontrol, the cabin noise control, and any other noise controls arepresented on the user interface as slider controls configured to enablea user to slidably select a value within a specified range, for example,as shown in FIG. 3.

At step 604, the processor and/or the audio system generates an output(such as, e.g., audio output signals 104 shown in FIG. 2) for each audiozone based on a first value (such as, e.g., the value 37 shown in FIG.2) received from the engine sound control and a second value (such as,e.g., the value 39 shown in FIG. 2) received from the cabin noisecontrol of the corresponding user interface, as well as any other noisecontrol values received from the user interface. In embodiments, thefirst value is an engine sound gain, or a gain of an engine noisecomponent of the audio output presented by the vehicle audio system tothe corresponding audio zone. As such, the first value can determine anengine noise augmentation level for the audio zone. Also in embodiments,the second value is a cabin noise gain, or a gain of an anti-noisecomponent of the audio output. As such, the second value can determine anoise cancellation or reduction level for the audio zone. Throughuser-selection of the first value, the second value, and any other noisecontrol values, the user can personalize the sound isolation effectprovided to each audio zone, for example, by turning cabin noisecancellation on/off or selecting a specific level of noise reductiontherebetween, and/or by turning engine sound augmentation on/off orselecting a specific level of augmentation therebetween.

According to embodiments, generating the audio output for each audiozone includes combining an anti-noise signal (such as, e.g., theanti-noise signals 108 shown in FIG. 2), an adjusted engine sound signal(such as, e.g., the adjusted engine sound signals 128 shown in FIG. 2),and a user-selected audio signal (such as, e.g., the audio input signals110 shown in FIG. 2). The adjusted engine sound signal can be generatedby the audio system and/or processor based on the first value and anengine noise detected by a microphone adjacent to a vehicle engine (suchas, the engine microphone 26 in the engine 28, as shown in FIG. 1). Theanti-noise signal can be generated by the audio system and/or processorbased on the second value and a cabin noise signal (such as, e.g.,signals 114 shown in FIG. 2) detected by a plurality of microphonesassociated with the corresponding audio zone (such as, e.g., thereceiver microphones 20 shown in FIG. 2). In some cases, the anti-noisesignal for each audio zone is generated based further on a noisecancellation error signal (such as, e.g., the errors signal 116 shown inFIG. 2) detected by a plurality of error microphones associated with theaudio zone (such as, e.g., the error microphones 22 shown in FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, the method 600 further includes step 606, whereinthe processor and/or the audio system provides the audio outputgenerated at step 604 for each audio zone to a plurality of speakers(such as, e.g., the speakers 18 shown in FIG. 1) associated with theaudio zone. In embodiments, each audio zone can be associated with twoor more speakers that are directed towards the audio zone and configuredto output only the audio signals selected for that audio zone. Themethod 600 may end after step 606.

In certain embodiments, the process descriptions or blocks in thefigures, such as FIG. 6, can represent modules, segments, or portions ofcode which include one or more executable instructions for implementingspecific logical functions or steps in the process. Any alternateimplementations are included within the scope of the embodimentsdescribed herein, in which functions may be executed out of order fromthat shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or inreverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would beunderstood by those having ordinary skill in the art.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments,particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples ofimplementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of theprinciples of the invention. Many variations and modifications may bemade to the above-described embodiment(s) without substantiallydeparting from the spirit and principles of the techniques describedherein. All such modifications are intended to be included herein withinthe scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vehicle, comprising: a communicationinterface to connect to a mobile device; and an audio system configuredto: create a plurality of audio zones within a vehicle cabin; anddisplay, via the mobile device communicatively coupled to thecommunication interface, a user interface comprising a vehicle soundcontrol and a cabin noise control for one of the plurality of audiozones, wherein the vehicle sound control and cabin noise control are toadjust audio outputs provided to a corresponding one of the plurality ofaudio zones.
 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the audio system isconfigured to display the user interface for the one of the plurality ofaudio zones based on the one of the plurality of audio zones in whichthe mobile device is located.
 3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein theaudio system includes an audio control module configured to generate theaudio output for the one of the plurality of audio zones based on afirst value received from the vehicle sound control and a second valuereceived from the cabin noise control displayed on the mobile device. 4.The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the audio system includes a plurality ofspeakers configured to present, to each of the plurality of audio zones,the audio output generated for the corresponding one of the plurality ofaudio zones.
 5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the audio control moduleincludes a noise cancellation module, and the audio output for the oneof the plurality of audio zones includes an anti-noise output signalgenerated by the noise cancellation module.
 6. The vehicle of claim 5,wherein the audio system includes a plurality of receiver microphonesconfigured to detect, for each of the plurality of audio zones, a cabinnoise within the corresponding audio zone, and wherein the second valueis a cabin noise gain for the one of the plurality of audio zones, andwherein for the one of the plurality of audio zones, the noisecancellation module is configured to generate the correspondinganti-noise output signal based on the cabin noise and the cabin noisegain.
 7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the audio system includes aplurality of error microphones configured to detect, for each of theplurality of audio zones, a noise cancellation error signal for thecorresponding audio zone, and wherein for the one of the plurality ofaudio zones, the noise cancellation module is configured to generate thecorresponding anti-noise output signal based further on the noisecancellation error signal.
 8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein an enginesound control and a road noise control of the user interface eachinclude a slider control for enabling user selection of a correspondingvalue.
 9. A method of providing user-controlled sound isolation in aplurality of audio zones within a vehicle, the method comprising:connecting, via a communication interface, to a mobile device; creating,via an audio system, a plurality of audio zones within a vehicle cabin;and displaying, via the mobile device, a user interface comprising avehicle sound control and a cabin noise control for one of the pluralityof audio zones, wherein the vehicle sound control and cabin noisecontrol are to adjust audio outputs provided to a corresponding one ofthe plurality of audio zones.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereindisplaying the user interface for the one of the plurality of audiozones includes displaying the user interface for the one of theplurality of audio zones based on the one of the plurality of audiozones in which the mobile device is located.
 11. The vehicle of claim10, further comprising generating the audio output for the one of theplurality of audio zones based on a first value received from thevehicle sound control and a second value received from the cabin noisecontrol displayed on the mobile device.
 12. The method of claim 11,further comprising presenting, via a plurality of speakers, the audiooutput generated for the corresponding one of the plurality of audiozones.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio output for the oneof the plurality of audio zones includes an anti-noise output signalgenerated by a noise cancellation module.
 14. The method of claim 13,further comprising: detecting, via a receiver microphone positioned inthe one of the plurality of audio zones, a cabin noise within thecorresponding audio zone, the second value being a cabin noise gain forthe one of the plurality of audio zones; and generating thecorresponding anti-noise output signal based on the cabin noise and thecabin noise gain for the one of the plurality of audio zones.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising: detecting, via an errormicrophone position in the one of the plurality of audio zones, a noisecancellation error signal; and generating the corresponding anti-noiseoutput signal based further on the noise cancellation error signal. 16.The method of claim 9, wherein an engine sound control and a road noisecontrol of the user interface are displayed using a slider control forenabling user selection of a corresponding value.